Black Panther's writer/director Ryan Coogler is back for the sequel - but it might take a while

Coogler will start writing the script sometime next year

The great news: Ryan Coogler, the director and co-writer of Marvel's breakout hit Black Panther, has signed on to direct and write the sequel, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The bad (but understandable) news: we're going to have to wait quite some time before our return trip to Wakanda. After Black Panther grossed over $1.3 billion worldwide and vaulted the oft-forgotten hero into the limelight, Coogler no doubt has the clout to do anything he damn well pleases with whatever comes next for T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) in Black Panther 2.

Given the events of the Avengers: Infinity War ending and the heavily guarded secrets of Avengers 4, a new Black Panther movie presents an interesting challenge for Coogler, who is slated to begin writing the script next year. The Hollywood Reporter's sources say that Coogler and co. have "an eye to start production in either late 2019 or early 2020," meaning we're years away from any concrete details about the sequel. But we can always speculate, and the biggest questions we have right now are: when will it take place in the timeline of this reborn MCU, and which villain will Black Panther go up against?

Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) and Klaw (Andy Serkis) were some of T'Challa's most iconic adversaries in the comics, so they leave big shoes to fill. Perhaps Killmonger could return stronger (and angrier) than ever, or maybe Kraven the Hunter will take a break from terrorizing Spider-Man to prey on Black Panther. Unrelatedly, how will Marvel and Disney treat the naming of the sequel? Will it be Black Panther 2, Iron Man style, or have a snappy subtitle like the Captain America films?

There's also the question of rebuilding Wakanda after it came under siege during Thanos' triumphant attack. All these uncertainties and more will remain unanswered until Coogler actually writes the script - but it's good to know that he's officially back in the saddle for the sequel.

Here's everything we know about the Avengers 4 ending, which will go down long before we get Black Panther 2.